"You must know the consequence of doing a good action, Leo," Nina said to him. "Do you see the black bushes--yonder--and the two figures? Estelle says it is Miss Burgoyne and the young gentleman who would have been all alone but that you intercede. Is he not owing a great deal to you?" "Well, Nina, if there is any gratitude in woman's bosom, Miss Burgoyne ought to be indebted to me too. She has got her pretty dear. I dare say he would have managed to procure a little interview with her, in some surreptitious way, in any case--I dare say that was his intention in coming down; but now that he is one of the party, one of the guests, she can talk to him before every one. And since I have been the means of bringing the pair of turtle-doves together, I hope they're happy." "Ah, Leo, you do not understand," Nina said to him--for Miss Girond was now talking to Mr. Carey, who had come up. "I don't understand what?" "You do not understand Miss Burgoyne," said Nina. "What don't I understand about her, then?" Nina shook her head. "Why should I say? You will not believe. Perhaps she is grateful to you for bringing in that young man--yes, perhaps--but if she would rather have yourself to go and talk with her and be her companion before all those people? Oh, you do not believe? No, you are too modest--as she is vain and jealous. All during the dinner she was playing coquette, openly, for every one to see; Estelle says it was to pique the young man who came from the other room; no, Leo, it was not--it was meant for you!" "Oh, nonsense, Nina!--I wasn't thinking anything about her!" "Does she think that, Leo?" Nina said to him, gently. "Ah, you do not know that woman. She is clever; she is cunning; she wishes to have the fame of being associated with you--even in a photograph for the shop-windows; and you are so blind! The duel?--yes, she would have liked that, too, for the newspapers to speak about it, and the public to talk, and her name and yours together; but then she says, 'No, he will owe more to me if I interfere and get an apology for him,' It is one way or the other way--anything to win your attention--that you should care for her--and that you should show it to the world--" "Nina, Nina," said he, "you want to make me outrageously vain. Do you imagine she had a single thought for me when she had Lord Denysfort to carry on with--he hasn't much in his head, poor devil! but a title goes a long way in the theatrical world--and when she could practise on the susceptibilities of her humble adorer who was further down the table? Oh, I fancy Miss Burgoyne had enough to occupy herself with this evening without thinking of me. She was quite busy." "Ah, you do not understand, Leo," Nina said. "But some day you may understand--if Miss Burgoyne still finds you indifferent, and becomes angry. But before that, she will try much--" "Nina!"